best gluten free mac and cheese from scratch

The only thing that sets dehydrated mac apart from regular mac is that the pasta is par-cooked or “instant,”meaning you don’t have to waste 10 minutes and several cups of precious water on boiling noodles. Unlike most dehydrated food categories, which are often freeze-dried interpretations of meals containing meat and vegetables, the trail-ready versions of mac ‘n’ cheese aren’t that different from what you’d cook at home: It’s basically just powdered cheddar, powdered butter or milk, and annatto extract (for color).

That’s where these upgraded takes on the classic come in. But their complexity and caloric value leave much to be desired. Mac ‘n’ cheese is a common sight on the trail: There are few off-the-shelf comfort foods as accessible and ubiquitous as a box o’ Kraft or Annie’s macaroni. Is it delicious? Does it have texture? Would you happily eat this rehydrated pouch if you weren’t starving in the backcountry?

While we certainly take note of caloric value, food weight, and the use of unhealthy dyes and stabilizers, this is first-and-foremost about taste. We’ve surveyed the market, sampling both big, corporate brands and tiny cottage operations in our search for the very best. Welcome to Pouch Wars, a monthly taste-test of dehydrated backpacking meals.

Best gluten free mac and cheese from scratch